Rubel spins HP Unit into Top End semis in Australia

Off-spinner Mohammad Rubel’s five-wicket haul powered Bangladesh High Performance Unit (HP Unit) to a three-wicket win over Northern Territory Strike and helped them seal their place in the semifinals of the Top End T20 in Darwin, Australia on Friday.

Rubel finished with 5-21, consolidating his position as the highest wicket-taker in the nine-team competition by far – the second-highest Hamish Martin from Northern Territory Strike has 11 wickets – as the HP Unit restricted their opposition to 143-9 in 20 overs after being asked to bowl first.

Rubel bamboozled his opponents with a bag of tricks, taking three wickets in the Powerplay, then returning in the 15th over to strike in consecutive deliveries and complete his fifer.

Jordan Silk was the top scorer for NT Strike, making 31 off 23 balls while Matt Hammond chipped in with a run-a-ball 26 at the Marrara Stadium in Darwin.

In reply, the experienced Sabbir Rahman’s 47 off 37 deliveries at one-down was enough to take them over the line despite losing a flurry of wickets late in the innings, as the HP Unit reached 144-7 in 18.2 overs.

With five wins and one defeat in six games, the HP Unit are at the top of the points table and the first team to seal their place in the top four.

Both the semifinals and the final will take place in Darwin on Sunday.